On October 2nd 2022, Alexandra Brill of Lowell, MA passed away peacefully. She was surrounded by family and loved ones. 

Alexandra was born to Richard Brill and Nicole Dunn on October 6th 1954 in Mt Kisco, New York. She grew up all over the Eastern Seaboard, but noted that the happiest years of her childhood were spent in Cleveland, Ohio. She studied visual art at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, while earning a simultaneous Bachelor’s degree from Tufts University. She made her home in the Boston area for over 40 years, and especially loved Central Square. 

She was an inspired and talented artist who created countless masterpieces, still hanging on the walls of many. She also owned a successful petcare business in Lexington. Her clients adored her, and she adored all of the animals she cared for. She would consider her own animals – Peter, Keaton, Lyra, Jessie, Garcia, and of course Roxy – part of her own family. 

More than anything else, Alexandra was a mother. She devoted her life to loving and supporting her two sons, Nicholas (age 32) and Caleb (age 28). She loved them unconditionally and without judgment, and perhaps this is her greatest gift of all. Alexandra was a true lover in every sense of the word. Her heart constantly burst with a desire to connect with others. She always talked to strangers, and always made quick friends.

She was a deep lover of quality art, music, and films. She especially adored classic and foreign films – anything with Warren Beatty, James Dean, or Brando would do the trick. She revered good jazz, especially John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. Alexandra looked up to Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Martin Luther King, and Gandhi as visionaries and idols for peace, cooperation, and communication. She taught us all how to truly sink into the joy of being alive. 

Alexandra was a creature of freedom. She was unwilling to ever compromise her morals or values, and her adventurous spirit lives on. She loved to walk barefoot in the snow, she loved to dance in public, and she loved the ocean. She wrung joy and presence out of life like no other, and she will be incredibly missed by all she touched – which is many. 

To honor her, put some Coltrane on your boom box and take a walk in nature and marvel at the wonder of this world. Offer a random act of kindness to a stranger. Befriend your mail person. Go to the beach in the middle of a storm. We love you, Mom. Thank you for continuing to always be there.